


summer.

by smile69



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: First Kiss, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-23
Updated: 2017-09-23
Packaged: 2019-01-04 09:20:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12166032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smile69/pseuds/smile69
Summary: Jack and Gabriel visit Indiana.





	summer.

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by [this](http://pirikko.tumblr.com/post/148006093260/indiana-summer)

It wasn't that Gabriel was afraid of all the open space.  
Maybe it was. The silence that buzzed in his ear and the open sky, the plains and wide open agricultural fields made his skin crawl. If life in the city hadn't made him paranoid, a couple of years in the military had.  
The conversation hadn’t been allowed to go very far in the past few months. At any given opportunity, Jack brought up the leave they were to be granted mid August.  
“You call your moms every Monday, you saw them on Christmas, and you yourself said that they’re busy with work this time of the year.” He commented between bites of the bland mashed potatoes that were in circulation in the canteen’s rations.  
“I don’t know…”  
He tsked impatiently, “Well you only have a few weeks to decide if you’re going to go to an empty house or with your best friend to pick your own ear of corn and drink until you pass out in the bed of a pick up.”  
He looked at Jack bewildered.  
“You have not done that.”  
Jack shrugged, “Only one way to find out.”

***

“Hey, I’ll be right with you.”  
Carmen chittered away on the phone, typing into her computer and scanning through a massive book to her left. When she ended her call, she smiled and beckoned him forward, “What can I do for you?”  
“Would you take down where I’m taking my leave?”  
“Of course, Gabriel.”  
He looked to the ceiling and sighed, “I’m going to Indiana with Morrison.”

***

The ride to the airport is giddy. Jack quickly tells him about his favorite places to eat and what he would do as a teen in rural Indiana.  
“So there is this diner that is the best place to get a milkshake but they use meat that's fallen on the floor so we can’t eat there. The cinema only has one screening theatre and they only play anything at 1800 on Fridays and on Saturdays there’s a screening at 1600 and one at 1830.”  
“So if you don't make those what, you go to another one?”  
“Another what?”  
“Theater.”  
Jack throws his head back and laughs and laughs.  
Gabriel feels his face grow hot, “What’s funny?  
“The nearest town with a theater is forty minutes aways, so sure, if you want to, but the hours will be about the same.”  
“Well, what about where we’re landing? That’s a city, right? We could go there.” He mutters as he pulls his beanie down his forehead.  
“It’s not so much a city as it is a town with an airport.”  
“What does that even mean?”  
“You’ll see.”  
“So, what did you do for fun?”  
"I already told you, get drunk and watch the stars.”  
“You are so full of shit.”  
Jack laughs at that as well, “You’ll see.”  
Gabriel rolls his eyes and turns away to stare out of the window at the vehicles that flash by.

The plane ride is quiet. They sit next to each other, Jack tapping away at his phone and Gabriel looks out the window then reads his book quietly.  
When the screen in the seat in front of him flashes and indicates that they will land soon he squints at the map before him.  
“Why is only the airport shown?”  
Jack sighs and doesn't answer him.

The airport is small and outdated. A few people are walking about and they walk past two squeaky luggage carousels. Gabriel adjusts his backpack and eyes Jack’s duffle bag. They had bought his parents some chocolates, a small and colorful post card and a petite bouquet of roses.  
(“They’re going to get crushed. Just wait until we land.”  
“No, that’s alright, Let’s go ahead and buy them here.”)  
The airport is stark. Immediately past the carousels there are a few seats and restrooms. A couple of vending machines sit beneath a display of the incoming and outgoing flights. Behind the seats there are windows and the doors.  
Jack is watching him with an amused smile pulling at his lips.  
“It’s… small.”  
“Ready to behold rural Indiana?”  
He looks around one last time and nods.

Jack leads them past the exit and they find a solitary man smoking outside next to a sleek black car. Jack walks up to him and chats, taking the keys to their rental and quickly signing a few forms. The warm air clings to Gabriel’s skin and insects buzz around him. The parking lot is largely unoccupied and at most he’s seen twenty people since landing. Jack pops the trunk and tosses his duffle bag in and takes Gabriel’s backpack and sets it next to his bag.  
“It’s an hour and half long drive so I hope you have something to keep busy with.”  
“How long?”  
“You know, when I told you there is nothing in Indiana, I meant it.”  
They climb into the car, a simple but modern thing and Gabriel connects his phone to the car and plays his music.  
“It’s like the fucking Twilight Zone. Like, all the people got zapped away and got replaced by mosquitos.”  
“This would be easier to take in if you ever listened to me.”  
Gabriel frowns and turn up the music.  
“You like this?”  
Jack grins, glancing over at him, “I do. This is that band from Texas, right?”  
“Yeah, their work is really improving. The last album was alright but the guitar solos were tedious and the lyrics were too repetitive.”  
“Can’t have repetitive lyrics.”  
“No, you can’t. Doesn’t this sound better? Remember Sunset Rodeo?”  
“Yeah, the song where the guy and girl sing to each other and the guy shreds on the guitar for a full minute.”  
“Yeah, they got rid of the previous singer so now it’s just Elena on vocals and the whole band has really pulled together. The sound is more cohesive.”  
“It sounds less aggressive. Better.”  
“Jack, it’s mod electro metal. It’s meant to be aggressive.”  
“Right.”  
Gabriel rolls his eyes and turns up the music.

***

He feels a touch on his shoulder and his eyes fly open as he moves to sit up.  
“Wake up sleeping beauty. We’re about ten minutes out.”  
Gabriel yawns and stretches noisily. “I could have driven, you know.”  
“You can’t go ninety on dirt roads.”  
"Did you let your parents know you were bringing a plus one?"  
"Yeah, they know. They're excited to meet you."  
Gabriel frowns. He pulls off his beanie and ruffles his hair but the hat has done its deed and squashed his hair flat and this way and that.  
"Gabe, relax. You look fine. We've been traveling all morning. My parents aren't going to tell us to fuck off because I'm wearing sweats and you're in a beanie."  
Gabriel frowns.  
Jack turns onto a dirt road and they drive past more fields and pastures with cows roaming about.  
"How do they keep the cows in?"  
"Hm?"  
"How do they keep the cows from running away?"  
"There's a fence."  
"No there's not."  
"Gabe, right there," he points toward a metal rod that has thick barbed wire twisting off of it, then onto another rod and so on. "That has an electric current."  
"What? They electrocute the cows?"  
"Yeah, that's how they keep them in."  
Gabriel scoffs and unplugs his phone from the charging bay and stuffs it into his pocket. They park up in front of a small, two story house. It has a neat lawn and off to a side there is a small wooden house and chickens roaming freely. To the opposite side, there is a concrete driveway leading up to a wide garage. The dirt path leads all the way up to the driveway where Jack drives up to and parks the car. Jack clambers out and is ambushed by his parents. Gabriel turns to grab their bags from the trunk.  
"I told your father you were going to get here before sundown, but he wouldn't believe me. When I saw the dust on the road I hollered at him to come inside."  
Jack's father walks toward Gabriel and shakes his hand briskly, "I'm John, son. You're Jack's friend?"  
"Yes sir, I’m Gabriel Reyes." Jack's mother bounces over to him and pulls him into a hug, "Oh, the famous Gabriel! (Mom!) Jack has told us so much about you! He was so nervous you weren't going to come see us with him! Now, I heard you like coffee? We just got a new French press..." she leads him away into the house as a red faced Jack has his father's arm wrap around his shoulders.  
"Welcome home, son."

After a couple of hours of catching up and a lovely dinner provided by Jack's mom, he grabs his old keys from a cup. They say goodbye and head into town. Jack had remembered as an afterthought the flowers and gifts and pulled them from the duffle bag to reveal they were largely unscathed. “These were Gabriel’s idea.” Mrs. Morrison had cheerfully taken them and placed them in the center of the dining room table. There is a stair case past the dining room that leads up to two doors. The gap between the doors was only as wide as the staircase and on the wall there is a photo of Jack with his parents. They leave their bags in Jack’s room. There is a bed in the center of the room with a beige duvet and against the wall there is a book shelf with various books and video games. Above that is a few awards Jack accumulated in his time in school. The room has an en suite restroom where Mrs. Morrison has placed a small vase with wildflowers.  
Jack brings a small bag with him. They climb into his old pickup and Jack grins when the engine starts. It's only a little past seven but the evenings are beginning to turn and the air is cool. Already, the sky has stars scattered throughout. Jack rolls down the windows and Gabriel feels the air whip his face and listens to the insects smack into the pickup’s windshield. He pulls his hoodie tighter.  
"So, where to first?” Gabriel asks.  
"Let's get a milkshake."  
Gabriel laughs, rolling his eyes at Jack. His parents live about twenty minutes outside of town. In the town proper there is only a few stoplights and all of the buildings are small and short. Jack gives Gabriel the tour.  
"Well, that's the high school.” He nods at a house across the street, “A good friend of mine use to live there but she over dosed a few years back and died. There's the supermarket. There's a park down the road and here's where everyone would hang out and smoke weed." He points toward an old gazebo with a couple of benches.  
"Would you skip school and smoke with your friends here?" Gabriel teases. Jack rolls his eyes, "Fuck off. No I would not." He feels Gabriel's eyes still on him. "Okay, once in a blue moon I would come out and smoke with some friends."  
Jack drives them to a small diner that looked abandoned until they step inside. An older woman greets them and tells them to have a seat. They sit in a booth across from each other, Jack handing Gabriel a menu.  
"The milkshakes and limeade were always my favorites, but they have coke floats and mozzarella sticks. Most every thing else shouldn't be trusted.”  
Gabriel wrinkles his nose and tosses the menu back to Jack, "Surprise me."  
Jack laughs and skims through the menu.  
"What can I get you boys?"  
"Can we have a vanilla shake, a cherry limeade and an order of mozzarella sticks?"  
"Sure thing. Is that you, Jack?"  
Jack smiles apologetically, and the woman continues, "I'm Shelby's mom."  
"Right, how are you Ms. Jenkins?" He shakes her hand band introduces Gabriel.  
"Gabriel this is Ms. Jenkins, I went to high school with her daughter."  
They shake hands and she chats with them about recent occurrences in the town, "Since Shelby moved away it’s been real quiet around the house. More people are moving away to more modernized towns where the getting is good, but I guess that's just how it goes sometimes. Folks will chase technology even when they shouldn't. Your parents still doing good?"  
"Yeah, thanks, we just came from dinner."  
"What are you doing now?"  
"Oh, we're in the army together."  
Her face turns serious as she nods. She tells them she'll put the order in and walks away.  
“People are getting scared. She thinks you’re as good as dead."  
Jack shrugs, "Maybe I am."  
She brings out their order and walks back to the podium near the entrance and sits, reading from her phone.  
"The shake is for you, try it."  
Gabriel takes a sip then makes a face.  
"Fuck off, the shakes are fine."  
Gabriel frowns and pushes the shake away.  
"Seriously?" Jack takes his straw and dunks it into the shakes and drinks deeply.  
Gabriel laughs again and takes back his drink, "Yeah, the shake is good."  
Jack squints his eyes at him and bites a mozzarella stick.  
"You'd come here for lunch?" Jack shrugs, "Sometimes. Mainly depended on whether or not I had any money."  
"Did you get an allowance or did your parents make you work?"  
"A little bit of both. When they had money they would give me some to save up, and I was only really allowed to work in the summer or weekends. My folks worried I'd fall behind."  
"Give me some of your limeade." Gabriel drinks some and squints sucking in his cheeks, "This is so sour."  
Jack laughs looking at Gabriel's expression and pulls his drink back.  
"That is like battery acid."  
"It's nice."

They finish and are waved away by Jenkins when they go to pay. The pair get back into Jack's pickup and Gabriel smiles as he wonders where Jack will take him next. Jack drives down the street and parks outside of a little shack that has a small window with a neon sign that flashes.  
"I'll be right back." Gabriel nods and checks his phone while he waits. After a few minutes, Jack returns with a slender paper bag.  
"Yeah?" Gabriel asks, amused.  
"Yup."

It's fully dark now and Jack drives them deeper and deeper into isolation. Gabriel begins to fidget and glance around. "Nothing is hiding in the dark. It's fine, Gabe."  
"It's too dark. You don't know if there's a bear out there, you can't see."  
Jack drives on until they reach a dead end in the road. He parks the pickup and turns off the engine. He reaches to grab the bag he brought and in those few seconds, the headlights turn off.  
“Jack, it’s pitch black.”  
"You're eyes will adjust, just give it a second." Gabriel turns on his phone’s flashlight and shines it on Jack's head. "What the hell are we doing?"  
"Trust me for a second. Turn that off."  
Gabriel does. He sits looking around uneasily and slowly his eyes do adjust until he can see the silhouette of the corn stalks on to his left and an open field to his right. "Come on."  
Jack gets out of the pickup and Gabriel does the same. Jack climbs into the bed of the pickup and holds out his hand and helps Gabriel up. He pulls a couple of thin blankets from the bag and lays one down on the bed and grinning, he gestures for Gabriel to sit down. He sits down and then Jack is spraying him. "What the hell is that?" Gabriel flinches. "It's bug spray, hold still." Jack sprays them until he is satisfied then he sits next to Gabriel and points at the sky. The sky is perfectly clear and black like ink. Infinite stars shimmer and stripe the sky. The more he stares the more the stars look like flecks of dust speckled throughout the sky. The colors of night are more vivid, hues of blue and hints of purple bleed into one another. He sees a shooting star blaze across the sky, bright like day then it burns out and the sky is still again. A satellite blinks steadily as it moves across the sky. Gabriel is startled out of his observation by Jack nudging his arm, handing him an open bottle of whiskey. They drink together and talk softly.  
"Do you think we'll die fighting the omnics?" Jack whispers.  
"No." He takes another drink, "I think we have people who know what thoughts an internal processor will go through before they have a chance to. We don't know that they'll all rebel. Maybe some of the omnics won’t turn. I don't think that even if we do end up fighting this war that we have to die. I don’t think that is the end of the line for you or me."  
He passes the bottle back to Jack who waves it away, "Help yourself, I’m driving."  
"More for me. As long as we get our shit together and think about what we're going to do before we do it, and stay a step ahead, we can suppress the rebels."  
"People will die."  
"People will die." Gabriel repeats, trying to mask his apprehension. He takes another swig, "That's the cost of war. If we don't do anything, so many more people will die."  
"I know." His voice is small.  
"We're really up shits creek, Jack."  
Jack nods. "Are you going to join the SEP program? Some of the guys are saying it's not right, that it's human experimentation, but it's for the greater good, right? What's more important than fucking saving lives?"  
"I'm joining." Gabriel is looking down at his lap. "I'm not going to live a life of what ifs." He turns to look at Jack, "We'll be able to protect those who can't protect themselves. We won't ever think, 'If only I was strong enough.' I don't know that there's any way I wouldn't volunteer."  
"Okay Gabriel. I'll join too."  
"Jack... this isn't something you have to do. If your line of thinking is different, then that's your truth. You have to do what your heart and your mind agree on."  
Jack smiles, "I know, Gabriel."

They sit beneath the stars talking until it is well past midnight. Gabriel has commandeered both blankets and is properly drunk. Jack looks at his phone that lays between them and swears, "Alright Gabe, let's head home."  
He helps his friend out of the bed as he stumbles and shepherds him in through the passengers side door.  
"Jack, your truck is one of a kind."  
"Mm."  
"As soon as we're back on base, I'm going to get one. You can drive me around in it. We can take turns, actually.” Jack laughs as Gabriel smiles serenely reaching out as Jack buckles him in and holds his face in his hand. Jack smiles then closes the door and walks over to the drivers side chuckling to himself. He sits down and buckles himself in and turns to drive them home.  
“Jack, you have to make a promise."  
"Anything for you, lightweight."  
"You can't die. If some one has to die, it can be me. But you have to stay safe."  
The silence rings in his ears. Jack drives on auto pilot as the sense of dread fills him and the hair on the back of his neck rises. He opens his mouth to speak but the words don't come out. He looks over at Gabriel, feeling like a pot that's about to boil over and finds his friend asleep.

Jack half carries, half walks Gabriel into the house. He giggles quietly as he locks the house door behind them as Gabriel complains at his rude awakening. At the base of the stairs, his predicament seems much less amusing. He climbs to the top of the stairs, dragging Gabriel with him and they enter his room. Gabriel yawns and grabs his back pack, grabbing his pajamas and tooth brush and stumbles his way to the restroom. Jack smiles, but cannot shake the anxiety their conversation has produced within him. He digs out his own pajamas and toothbrush and waits for Gabriel. A few minutes later, Gabriel emerges, half asleep already with his eyes closed. "Go ahead and take the bed, I can sleep on the floor."  
Gabriel recoils at the comment and scoffs, "Don't be an asshole, we both fit here." He pulls up he duvet and wraps it tightly around himself.  
When Jack lays down he smiles at the curls spilling into Gabriel's face. Truthfully, he had been dreading sleeping on the floor. His childhood bed was leagues more comfortable than the beds on base. He sighs and settles in, making due with the scraps of blanket Gabriel had not wrapped tightly around himself.  
"Jack."  
"Mm?"  
"Good."

Jack wakes early. His five o clock internal alarm would not wear off in a single weekend. He stretches and looks at Gabriel next to him. He looks younger when he's asleep, all soft edges. In the night, he had managed take all of the duvet and cocooned himself in it. Jack watches his chest rise and fall for a few moments, then makes his way to get dressed and brush his teeth.  
He places his hand on Gabriel's shoulder who sighs in response.  
"Wake up Gabriel, lets go running."  
Gabriel sits up and only just manages to crack open an eye.  
"Am I drunk?"  
"Yes. Go splash some cold water on your face and let's go."  
Gabriel does just that then gets dressed. The two men quietly leave the house and run.  
The run is calm. They run on dirt roads, mindful of holes and rocks that protrude from the dirt. The morning is brisk and the world is still asleep. Gabriel stops a few times placing his hands on his knees, looking ill. On the third stop, as Jack is going to complain, he vomits. Jack runs over and offers water, and they begin to run again. "You didn't even have a sip last night."  
"I had a sip."  
"Was your plan all along to get me wasted so that you could beat my mile?"  
"You asked for the rural, middle of nowhere town experience, it’s my duty to help you indulge."  
"So you could beat my mile."  
"So I could beat your mile."

They return home and Jack offers Gabriel a couple of aspirins and water. Jack steps into the restroom and showers. When he exits the restroom he sees Gabriel has fallen back asleep. He chuckles softly and goes downstairs. His parents are drinking coffee at the table.  
"Good morning, Jack.  
"Morning mom, dad.  
"Where's Gabriel? I thought I heard you two talking."  
"He fell asleep. Uh, we stayed up drinking."  
"Jack, what a nasty habit. You could have showed him any number of things and you decided to take him drinking."  
"It's fine mom. Just a bit of fun. What are you guys going to do today?"  
Jack's father glances at his watch then stands, "I'm off to work, but let's grill tonight. We'll make you boys a nice dinner."  
He kisses Jack's mom as Jack agrees and he leaves.  
"Why don't you two go on down to the lake? We'll have dinner ready for when you come home."

Gabriel wakes abruptly and is temporarily disoriented. He shakes his head and looks around and gets his bearings. The restroom is unoccupied and he suddenly feels embarrassed at having fallen asleep again. He showers quickly, gets dressed, brushes his hair and teeth and shaves, tidying up his beard. He opens the door and steps into the entryway and bumps square into Jack. They shout and roll down the stairs together. Jack's mom runs to them fussing and asking if they're okay. Jack has the breathe knocked out of him when Gabriel lands on him and Gabriel massages above his eyebrow where he hit his head on the way down and the skin split making a neat cut that bleeds profusely. Gabriel looks down at Jack and notices he laying on him as a drop of blood falls from his finger tip on to Jack's cheek. He quickly clambers off.  
"Shit, sorry! Are you okay?"  
He helps Jack up who doubles over wheezing and laughing.  
Gabriel's cheeks are bright red as he excuses himself and returns upstairs to Jack's restroom, head and pride throbbing, and washes the blood from his hands and down the drain.  
"Sit down." Jack walks into the restroom with him holding a first aid kit.  
Gabriel sits on the rim of the bath tub and blinks quickly as a small trail of blood drips into his eye. Jack tsks and presses some gauze against the cut and lifts Gabriel's hand to hold it in place. Jack rummages through the kit and pulls out a small spray bottle and several cotton balls.  
"Please don't blind me."  
"Only because you asked so nicely."  
"Are you alright?"  
"I think I'll bruise, but I'm fine. You look gruesome." Jack is teasing him but he still groans, "It's just a little cut but it's a head wound, it has to bleed a lot."  
"Mm. Let me focus."  
He pats the soaked cotton balls down the length of the cut, and presses fresh gauze to it motioning for Gabriel to hold it in place again. He returns to the kit.  
"Thank you nurse, but I think I might need to go to the ER." Jack laughs with him, "Yeah, having your head up your ass can be dangerous."  
Gabriel grins as Jack applies a cream and joins the cut with a couple of strips of surgical tape. He stands back and looks Gabriel over.  
"That should do. If you want when we get back to base you can have a medic look over it but that should be fine."  
"Yeah, thank you."  
They return downstairs and make their way to the kitchen.  
“Are you alright, Gabriel?” Jack’s mom frowns.  
“Good morning, sorry, Mrs. Morrison, I’m alright.”  
“Oh, call me Brittany, honey.”  
She tuts and grabs his arm, leading him to sit at the table and looks over his cut.  
“Really, I’m okay, thank you.”  
Jack sets a plate with scrambled eggs, bacon, toast and sliced oranges in front of him.  
“We already had breakfast. Eat up, we’re off to the lake as soon as you’re done.”  
“Lake?”  
Mrs. Morrison struts over to the kitchen and helps Jack tidy up and nudges him toward the coffee machine. Jack rolls his eyes and puts a pod to brew the individual coffee.  
“Yeah, you’ll love it. You’ll love the feeling of fish swimming between your legs.”  
Gabriel wrinkles his nose and takes the coffee Jack hands him.  
“Thank you. Is this what you'd do all summer?”  
“Jackie use to love going with his friends. We would load up John’s pick up and head up there when his cousins would come down to visit. They installed a really lovely shower area and there’s a lifeguard available during the summer after a few kids drowned in the thirties.” She frowns, “Use to they’d leave after five but they're round the clock now.”  
“Well, Gabriel’s a strong swimmer anyway, right?”  
Gabriel sips his coffee pensively, “Yeah, living close to the ocean worried my moms so I went to swimming lessons soon as I was allowed to.”

He finishes his breakfast and tidies up, insisting on washing up, waving Mrs. Morrison away. She smiles and retreats to answer a call in the living room. Gabriel washes and Jack dries the dishes.  
“Who are they?”  
“Hm?”  
Gabriel nods to a picture hanging on the wall of a lanky teenage Jack with and arm around a girl with long brunette hair and his other arm around a boy with a wide grin and shaggy brown hair.  
“Oh, remember the friend who overdosed? That’s her. Her name was Logan and that’s her brother, Philip. We were on the football team together. They use to spend the night after a game.”  
“Did you date?”  
“No! They were just my friends. Logan was real focused on school.” His face burns and he busies himself drying the mug he drank his coffee from.  
“Anyway, I’m surprised mom still has that up. I guess it really shook everyone up seeing a smart young girl fall victim to addiction.”  
“She wouldn’t go to treatment programs?”  
“Sobriety is tempting but I don’t think it compares to the strength of addiction and allure that drugs have. She couldn’t just decide to stop.”  
“Right. I’m sorry.”  
“Yeah.”

Jack shouts goodbye and Mrs. Morrison waves at them as they walk out of the house. They ride to the lake, Gabriel playing the songs that Jack requests and moaning as Jack sings along, loud and off key. 

***

They arrive to the lake shortly after, parking in a large dirt parking lot with trees surrounding the lake. There’s a few hills on the sides of the lake and there are families closer to the opposite side of the lake where there is a lifeguard tower and a small building labeled, ‘SHOWERS.’ There the water is shallow and children build small castles on the shore. Jack pulls a pink and blue stripped tote bag from the bed of the pick up and they walk toward a picnic table below a small metal roof. Gabriel raises an eyebrow at the bright tote with sequins lining the gaps between the stripes. Jack shrugs and pulls a towel and drapes it over the table. He claps his hands together, “Let’s swim!”  
The boys strip down to a couple of Jack’s old swim trunks they had found, spray on sunscreen haphazardly and toss their shirts onto the table, “Come on,” Jack says, making his way to one of the hills that rises above the lake. It has a tree with a decrepit tire swing on it and a dirt path leading up from frequent use. They stand at the crest of the hill looking down into the lake below.  
“No wonder people drown.”  
“You won’t drown, you’re not drunk or underage. Plus you know how to swim. If all else fails, I’ll rescue you.”  
Gabriel rolls his eyes and grins despite himself. “Well hop on the swing goldilocks and show me how its done.”  
“You go first.”  
“I’m not jumping in there until I’m good and ready. I don’t think I could swing from that and maintain my dignity.”  
“It’s fun!”  
Gabriel smirks and shakes his head, “I’ll definitely jump in after you. How don't people bust their heads open on the hill?”  
“That’s why you have to jump. There’s no way you’ll hit yourself. There’s a pretty big gap from the hill up to here.”  
“Kids should not be up here,” He cranes his head to look over and is roughly shoved. He flails and screams the entire way down. Jack smiles and jumps in after.  
Gabriel tries to scowl at him, but a goofy smile breaks across his face and he only splashes Jack.  
“Asshole. My bandage is going to come off! ”  
Jack splashes him and laughs as he swims away.

Jack manages to convince Gabriel to swing with him and laughs at his yelps and the way he splashes him, and swims beneath the surface and pulls Jack’s leg hard enough to pull him under. Eventually Jack notices that the tape for Gabriel’s cut has disappeared and makes a mental note to disinfect it once they get home. They only leave the water to jump back in and later, to eat. They sit on the ground in front of the lake and dry off with the sun’s rays on their backs, eating sandwiches and drink sodas Jack had packed for them. The screams of children laughing and splashing one another fills the silence. Dragonflies hum around them in the reeds along the shore and small fish circle in the water. Jack tosses bits of bread in and the fish gather, greedily biting up the bread.  
“You’re going to get a sunburn.” Gabriel comments between mouthfuls.  
“Yeah. I’ll put more sunscreen on after, mom. You should too, you know.”  
“Mm. I will.” He gently pokes Jack’s shoulder and a pale imprint is left surrounded by red.  
“Shit.”

They swim until they grow tired, then they float on the water, looking up into the sky that looks so big that it could swallow them up. Jack remembers sitting alone, hiding away from his cousins and watching the fish swim about. He remembers throwing off his life vest and walking into the water and floating on his back, just to prove that he could.  
The cool water splashes onto his stomach and he allows himself to sink so he is upright and looking at Gabriel who looks at peace. They leave the water to clean up after themselves and drive back to Jack’s home. As they pull in, they see a gentle trail of smoke blowing from behind the house. Gabriel looks to Jack who's already smiling and when he catches his eye, he beams. They walk into the house, Gabriel stopping to throw the trash from the tote into the can and put the remaining sodas into into the refrigerator as Jack tosses the towels into the washer.  
They meet and walk through the sliding door to the back patio. Jack’s parents greet them and John gestures at the cooler.  
“Did you boys enjoy yourselves?” Mrs. Morrison asks. Jack grabs a couple of beers from the cooler and with a smirk he throws one to Gabriel.  
“Yeah, Gabe didn't want to swim but I talked him into it.” Gabriel scoffs and they sit at the patio table. He looks out toward the field. The Morrison’s lawn stretches out toward the wide corn fields, separated only by a a swath of weeds and stones. The corn fields stretch out into the horizon. The summer days here are long and lazy. Mr. Morrison busies himself turning on a small fire pit on the other end of the patio mentioning something about keeping the insects at bay. Soft country music plays over a portable speaker perched on an end table by the patio furniture surrounding the pit.  
Jack and Gabriel walk on the path of rocks on the perimeter of the crop circle.  
“Is this your parents’ field?”  
“Yeah. My dad grows corn and sells it to people in the area. He has a warehouse a couple miles south of here. A few people work with him.”  
Gabriel laughs, “Very country. Where’s his horse?”  
“Har har har. Funny.”  
“Glad you think so too.”  
“Want to pick your own ear of corn?”  
“Not at all, dude.”  
Jack huffs, “Well, at least take a selfie of us.”  
Gabriel looks at him laughing, then pulls out his phone, touching the screen and turning the camera toward them. Jack snatches the phone from him and disappears into the field.  
“Hey!”  
Gabriel follows the laughter, jumping over holes and puddles, parting the stalks with his arms, shouting after Jack. Abruptly, he can’t hear Jack laughing. He looks around, standing still, “Ja-“  
Jack grabs his shoulders, “Boo!”  
Gabriel shouts, spins around and hits him. They both laugh and Gabriel snatches back his phone, "There could be snakes in here. Oh fuck, I stepped in some mud."  
Gabriel eyes the sole of his shoe as Jack flings his arms behind his head, "Worst case scenario a combine blasts through and chops us up."  
"You're joking."  
"Only partially."  
They laugh together as Gabriel uses a leaf from the corn stalk to rub off some of the mud clinging to his sneakers. He hops on one foot beginning to lose his balance when Jack moves forward, grabbing him and holding him steady, "Be careful!" He tsks. Gabriel looks up, standing properly and faces Jack who is too close. There is the distant cries from cicadas, birds chirping merrily and the buzzing of flies is all around them. The air is warm and humid, making them feel as damp as the moist soil beneath their feet. The spots where the sun can reach through the towering corn stalks and touch them, feel hot and look glaringly bright compared to the cool darkness that surrounds them.  
A few moments pass. Jack has a determination about him, his jaw set and in his eyes a question. Slowly, Gabriel reaches his hands up and gingerly places them against Jack's cheeks, holding his breath then running his thumb along Jack's cheek bone. He leans in slowly closing his eyes and Jack meets him. They kiss softly, close mouthed and apprehensive, Jack caressing Gabriel's lower back and Gabriel holding Jack's face in his hands. They take their time, kissing in the mid-August Indiana heat with insects buzzing around them and the world threatening to come undone with more omnic attacks by the day. They pretend that they have time and that this isn't a two night stay they get away from base a couple of times a year. They take for granted the quiet moments and the certainty of a promised tomorrow.  
"Jack..." they rest their foreheads together as Gabriel moves to wrap his arms around the back of Jack's neck, holding him close, "you know I love you, right?"  
Gabriel runs his fingers over Jack's hairline, soft as a breath and feels his skin break out in goose bumps.  
"I love you too, Gabriel."  
They had never said this to one another, or even recognized the emotion they felt toward each other was more than friendship, but the feeling had always been there and had always been true. They separate and Jack smiles at him, "Let's go get dinner then.”

John and Brittany talk about their days to one another, John chuckling at her enthusiasm for remodeling the room across from Jack’s from storage to a guest room. Gabriel and Jack scan their phones, sharing news with one another and hesitating to open reports of omnic mobilization.  
“Alright, steaks are ready.”  
“Boys, go get some plates, please.”  
They nod walk to the kitchen, Jack pulling out plates and cutlery, handing them down to Gabriel.  
“Russia is getting battered.”  
The ceiling fan above them creaks as it spins. Jack is staring out of window to the front yard of his home. Gabriel follows his gaze and looks outside as well.  
“This was bound to happen. I don't know why counter measures weren't taken earlier.” Gabriel states, shaking his head. “I don’t think anyone wanted to jump the gun, but…” he trails off, turning to look at Jack, who in turn looks at him.  
“These rural towns, they could never afford omnics en masse. They’ll be spared the worse, but Gabriel, the west coast and the east… Cites all across the world are going to get hit and they're going to get hit hard.” There is a pregnant pause where all they can do is look at one another.  
“All the more reason to go through with the SEP.”

They eat comfortably, with Jack's parents telling Gabriel about his years at home.  
"He would get with his friends and go to a park right on the edge of town and they'd ride their bikes until dark.” Mrs. Morrison smiles.  
“You didn't mention that, Jack.” Gabriel says.  
Jack's dad chuckles, "More than a few times I had to go and pick him up in the truck. Do you remember how angry he would be, dear?"  
"What was it he said? 'I'll never be able to ride my bike professionally. You’re ruining my future.’"  
"You wanted to be a BMX rider?"  
Gabriel is grinning at him. Jack groans loudly, sliding his hands down his face. "I was getting pretty good."  
Gabriel bursts out laughing at that and Jack's mom continues, "Jackie was set that even if he lost all his blood through his elbows and knees, he was going to ride professionally."  
"Don't forget that damn dirt bike." Jack's father grumbles.  
"Well anyway I joined the military. That's the end of that.”  
"How'd they recruit you?" Gabriel asks.  
"After a game a couple of them ambushed me. I played football in high school. The army recruiters are always around."  
Gabriel nods and drinks his beer.  
Jack’s parents lament that they would be leaving so soon.  
“You get so few days off. It really would be better if you were allowed leave for at least a few weeks.” Mrs. Morrison sighs.  
“At least enough time to take a proper vacation.” John agrees.  
“Time off base is always a joy. Thank you for having me Mr. and Mrs. Morrison.”  
“You’re always welcome here, son.”  
“Make sure you take care of each other.” Mrs. Morrison says. She shakes her head softly, “Lord knows how lucky we are that you two get along so well.”  
Gabriel looks to Jack and waits to see if he is going to mention the Soldier Enhancement Program to them. Within a week of their return, the program will begin and they’ve been warned of the potential dangers and the possibility of fatalities. Jack looks at him pensively, “Lucky for who?”  
They all chuckle and the moment passes.

Mr. and Mrs. Morrison insist on clearing the table then they join the boys by the fire, the evening growing cool. The sun begins to set, engulfing the sky in hues of orange and the few scattered clouds are tinted pink. John catches Jack up on the state of the fields and crops. Brittany tells Jack about the last time his grandmother had come to visit and how she missed Jack, her favorite grand baby.  
When the sun finishes setting and the temperature drops, Jack’s parents excuse themselves and go inside to get ready for bed. Gabriel and Jack stare into the fire, thighs and shoulders touching. Jack yawns and leans his head against Gabriel’s shoulder and Gabriel rests his own head on Jack’s. Jack reaches out tentatively and holds Gabriel’s hand, and feels him squeeze his hand softly and their fingers intertwine. 

***

They lay down in Jack's bed and Gabriel faces Jack and Jack lays on his back looking up at the ceiling.  
"Are you sad to be leaving so soon?"  
"It's hard not to be." He looks over at Gabriel, dejected, "I hope you don't feel bad I took away time from you to be with your family."  
"It's been nice. I liked meeting your folks and now I know you just a little bit better."  
Jack smiles at him and turns back to the ceiling. Gabriel yawns widely, "Besides, if you want, you can come with me to Cali on our next time off."  
"Will you show me all your favorite places like I did?"  
"We don't have a month, Jack. I'll show you my top five. Maybe I can get some family to come down. My mamá will talk your ear off if you let her and my mom will be happy to discuss skating and biking with you. If my tía Martina comes down she can show you how she makes champurrado and tamales. My sisters still live nearby, so you can meet them but my brother is working in Mexico. Maybe we can visit the beach. If it's not too cold..." he mumbles a bit more then closes his eyes and exhales softly.  
"Good night, Gabe."  
"Good night, Jack."

**Author's Note:**

> Questions? Comments? Concerns? Corrections? Let me know!


End file.
